Compartment-trunk.



H. A. SHAW.

COMPARTMENT TRUNK.

' APPLICATION msn MAR. 2s. 19u-1'; 4,244,647. Patented oet. 30,1917.

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H. A. SHAW.

coIvIP'ARTIvIENT TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. |911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. A. SHAW.

oMPARTMENT TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. I9l7 1,244,647. Patented om.. 30, 1m?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IN V EN TOR.

H. A. SHAW.

COMPARTMENT TRUNK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. I9II.

Patented oet. 30,1917.

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IN V EN TOR.

U TED STA. ,2z

HARRY A. SHAW, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

coMPAaTMENT-TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

Application filed March 23, 1917. Serial No. 156,952.

To all ywlw/n it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. SHAW, of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Compartment-Trunks; and I do hereby declare the following to be such a full, clear, and exact disclosure of its construction and operation as will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

My invention relates to compartment trunks, and represents an improvement u on the trunk described and claimed in my S. Patent No. 1,175,478, granted to me March 14, 1916.

One object of my improved invention is to provide an easier access to the inside of the trunk, which object I accomplish by providing an additional door thereto, arranged opposite the first door.

A further object of my improved invention is to facilitate the withdrawal from the trunk of the frame which clamps and secures the articles packed therein, which object I accomplish by so constructing the frame as to permit its withdrawal bodily, thereby enabling one to make special selection of any given article and release the same from the clamp without disturbing any other article of clothing held by the frame.

A still further object ofmy invention is to provide atemporary support for the Selected article while the frame is withdrawn from the trunk. f

And a still further object of my invention is to so construct the compartment trunk and its appurtenant -parts as to render its use easy and convenient and thoroughly adapted to the purpose intended.

These several objects are accomplished lby the construction described by the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and set forth in the appended claims.

It is well known that the requirements .of modern travel necessitate the use of a packing trunk so constructed as to retain, as nearly as possible, the original shape 'and original condition of garments of personal quie that 'such apparel be smoothed by pressing or otherwise, before it is again suitable for wear.

It is the purpose of my present invention \to do away with this trouble for travelers,

.said body and hinged thereto for easy openmg and closing. One of said compartments includes several pockets of diiferent sizes, with hinged doors fitted over the pockets, while the other compartment contains a sliding frame support with devices facilitating its movement into and out of the compartment.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters represent similar parts throughout,-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire trunk with one door swung open and its pocket doors lowered.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the trunk with its opposite door swung open, disclosing the slidable frame support.

Fig. 3 is a detail of one of the upper corners of the trunk showing the adjustable support for the garment hanger.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the trunk with. one door open and the slidable frame support withdrawn to its full extent.

Fi 5 is an elevational detail of the slid` able ame support and hanger.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the trunk on a line representing the vertical plane of the longitudinal center of each' door as in Fig. 2 (with 'both doors closed) and with theI hanger bars and their connecting rods omitted.

Fig. 7 is a detail of the adjustable releasing rods, and f Fig. 8 is a detail of the slide guide.

IlVith reference to the drawing in detai A designates the trunk in its entirety, divided longitudinally into two compartments, 1 and 2, which are severally closed by two oppositely arranged doors, A', B', respectively, each of which doors is hinged at h toits respective seat, and secured closed by means of the usual locks and latches.

The compartment 1 contains a hollow rectangular frame, F, which lits tightly into and fills one fase 0f the trunkf This frame also forms a support for the ends and edges of the pieces 12, which extend laterally across said :frame in parallel spaced relation, separating the frame into separate pockets or compartments and supporting the doors by which said pockets or compartments are closed. d y Each pocket is closed by a door which is hinged thereto at 13. Each door is operated by a knob, C', which latter is connected with the ordinary spring latch shown conventionally at 14 in Fig. 1. By turning the knob' of a closed door the spring latch can be operated in the usual manner to unlock the door; and on closing'the door, the spring latch will automatically lock it closed. There is no novelty claimed'for this particular feature of knob and latch-all of it being of the old and well known type, and, therefore, the illustration is wholly conventional. Located beneath this door are two pockets G, one above the other, and at one side of these latter pockets and extending below the same is a vertical chamber H, for receiving account books, ledgers, etc.

The uppermost door is designated by C, as in Fig. 1.

The chamber at the opposite side of said pockets G affords space for carrying hats, bonnets, and the like, which articles may be supported on swinging brackets, as U, or on upright posts, as U. A door Q, is secured to the sides of one of the pockets and of the vertical chamber lby means of strips W, which latter are so arranged as` to permit the door Q, to be opened and closedl by turnin on its hinges 13.

When owered in open position the door relation from the top of said uprights are the rods o, which slide in sleeves o and serve to steady the movement of said frame. EX- tending similarly from near the lower ends of said uprights are two fiat bars p, p, which move in corresponding guides g", which are secured to the vertical walls of the compartment 2, and serve also to steady the movement of the frame.

Another upright, O, extends I vertically from the center of the horizontal bar, n, to the center of the horizontal bar m, to both of which bars said upright O is rigidly attached by any suitable means, and is provided with a central handleO.

To the lower end of said upright O is pivotally attached a roll hanger block carryying roller y revolubly supported therein,

and serving as a rotatable support for the center of the slidable frame.

To the upper end of the upright O; is attached a sleeve o, which slides upon a rod 0- extending forwardly from the partition P. Said sleeve o is provided with a longitudinal slot in its upper` side to fit over the upturned end of rod, 0', the said upturned vend of the rod serving as anl abutment to Q may serve as a writing desk. Below said.

writing desk is a series of three pockets for clothing or other articles, said pockets being arranged in a vertical row, one above the other, and commanded, respectively, by

'three doors, I, J, and K.

After the pocket doors are closed, the door A may be swung on its hinges to close the corresponding compartment. The trunk is provided with rollers R to facilitate its movement, and with an adjustably supported steadying arm L to hold it against accidental movement. d

Compartment 2 is formed on the opposite side of the longitudinal partition P, which separates it from compartment 1, and constitutes the chamber in which the slidable frame support for the garments, is housed.

The said frame support is adapted to support the hangers for garments, and is composed of -a skeleton constructed as follows:

A rectangular frame, composed of two vertical. uprights, M and .N, connected at top and bottom by two horizontal bars, m and n, respectively, constitutes the body of this frame.

Extending rearwardly in parallel spaced limit the outward movement of the sleeve.

Pendently supported from sleeve o are a numberof rings, to which the garment hangers la are fastened 'by the hooks h2, which latter are each fastened to a4 coiled spring fastened to the hanger. These hangers, may be varied in number, and each is composed of anupper curved bar and a lower straight bar, h3, which are connected together invertical alinement by diagonally arranged cross rods 1'.

Attached to the under side of each of the curved bars ofthe hanger is a pair of trouser supports, t, from which trousers are suspended. Y

Arranged in parallel spaced relation below the lower 'straight bars h3 of the hangers are a number of cylindrical sleeves, s, shown in detail in Fig. 7, each provided in its top with a slot s* for a purpose named hereinafter.

In these sleeves` are housed a pair of sliding rods s', placed in alinement therein and provided at their inner contiguous ends with a steady position by means of the rods 1"" which connect said sleeves s to said hangers. And when it is desired to disconnect any one hanger from the sliding frame support, it is only necessary to press down upon a given straight-bar ha so as to remove the tension, and thenl press the two thumb-pieces.

toward each, other, thus removing thetwo bars s from their respective perforations in the flat bars p of the guides g, when the sleeve and its contained bars may be swung free and removed from the frame merely by detachng the hanger hook from its supporting ring. v

A similar pair of sleeves and rods are similarly arranged in compartment 2 below the last-named series of sleeves and rods, which operate in the same manner and for the same purpose as above described with reference to sleeve s and rods si', respectively. This lower pair of sleeves and rods is located behind the upper sleeves and rods, and instead of being connected thereto by rods 1', are connected to the lower ends of a pair of upright frames f2, as shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 5. These upright frames are severally composed of two vertical bars connected at the top by a curved cross-bar f3, which latter is provided with a hook catching in a ring on the sliding sleeve o,

and also carries pendently therefrom a hanger, k', for an overcoat, as seen in Fig. 4.

In this latter figure are also shown a guide rod, 8, beneath which the lower end of the garment is passed, and a spring clamp, 9, for fastening down the lower end of said garment. Said spring clamp -is composed of an inverted U-shaped rod, having its two ends bent at right-angles to-the body thereof and secured to a rotary shaft held in bearings on the floor of the sliding frame.

When a lengthy garment, as a coat, is to be placed in the trunk so as to prevent its wrinkling in travel, the hanger is placed in the shoulders of said garment, as shown in Fig. 4:, and the lower end of the garment is passed beneath the guide rod, 8, and then the edge thereof is clamped down by the spring clamp, 9, which holds it flattened out and smooth on the floor of the sliding frame, thus keeping it intact until removed for use.

The guide rod is of 'an inverted U-shape and is supported on a shaft carried at each end in the upturned edges of the floor 11, of the sliding frame support. Extending outwardly from the upper right-hand corner of compartment 2 as shown in Fig. 3 is a rest rod r2, which is pivotallyattached to the inside wall of said compartment, and is adapted to be swung outwardly before the sliding frame is withdrawn, and used to support a garment hanger which has been withdrawn from the sliding frame support.

The said rest rod, r2, is supported in a bracket, 713 secured to the side wall of the compartment A. This bracket has a sleeve extension which is provided in its lower side with a cut-away portion forming a bayonet-- joint locking shoulder for the down-turned end of said rest rod. Normally the bent enough through Ythe bracket to swing clear of the slot therein, so! that the long arm of the rod may hang down within the compartment, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. But when required for use, the rod is swung upwardly to a horizontal position in its bearing in the bracket, and then pulled forward till its turned downupper end enters the cut-away portion of the vbracket and is thus locked against accidental turning.

From the foregoing description it' is obvious that my improved trunk is adapted to hold a variety of garments of wearing apparel intact and free from the possibility of wrinkling or crumpling in transportation, and the method of using the trunk is also obvious.

In the'case of wearing apparel the garments are placed upon any one of the hangers h', after the latter" has been detached from the sliding frame support in the manner hereinbefore described. The hanger is then reset inthe frame by attaching its hook to a ring depending from the sleeve o. The body of the garment is then smoothed out between contiguous diagonal rods of two adjoining hangers, and in case the garment is not long enough to extend to the parallel sleeves s, its lower end may be caught by the clipping dogs 13 on both ends of the horizontal bars h2, and thus held intact.

As manygarments may thus be packed -together as there are hangers to support them,

. and, if properly placed in the trunk, each garment can be taken therefrom in as good condition as when placed therein. If the garment to bepacked is long enough, the lower portion thereof may be passed down through the guide rod 8 and its lower edge pressed to the iioor by the spring clamp 9, thus holding the whole length of the garment in a straight and smooth condition.

Although I have illustrated and described my invention with some articularity, I am aware of the fact thatvarlous changes thereof may be made in the practical application of it, and for this reason I reserve the right to change or modify the form of the details of construction, or otherwise alter the arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit or enlarging the scope of the atwith garment hangers supported yon said j slidable frame and provided with means for adjusting said hangers to position in thev frame and holding the hangers and the con` tamed garments taut therein, said means including supporting hooks attached to the central upper rod of the frame and spring connections between said hooks and hangers for attaching the hangers to the frame, and spring-impelled parallel rods spaced apart for fastening the hangers to the sides of the frame by means of inclined rods connecting said parallel rods and hangers, substantially as described.

2T In a sliding frame support for the garment hangers of a compartment trunk, a skeleton frame composed of two upright bars connected at top and bottom by transverse rods, and provided at their upper ends with rods sliding in tubular members fastened in the up er end of the compartment, and said uprigliits also being provided at their lower ends with two flat bars sliding in guides fastened in the lower end of the compartment a third upright connected at its top and bottom to the central portions of the upper and lower transverse bars, respectively, of said frame, and carrying at its top an inwardly extending sleeve provided with a series of rings to support garment hangers, and at its lower end an adjustable roller adapted to support the lower end of the sliding frame in its movement into and out from the compartment; a floor located in flat, smooth condition, substantially as' described.

3. The combination with a trunk having guide plates on the walls of a compartment.

thereof, of a slidin frame support, said support comprising at bars having sliding engagement with said guide plates, a plurality of hangers, yieldingly supported from a rod in the said frame, a plurality of bars k3, placed below the hangers and connected thereto by a plurality of diagonally disposed rods, r; the said bars, ha, being connected to a releasing device, the latter comprising a tubular sleeve rovided with 'a longitudinal slot arrangedp centrally in its upper side, a pair of releasing rods carried by Said tubular sleeve and arranged in alinement, each of said rods having at its inner end a thumb or finger piece extending through the slot in the' sleeve, and the outer end of each rod extending through the sleeve and into perforations in the fiat bars of the guide plates on the walls of the compartment.-

HARRY A. SHAW. 

